Second Test on a knife edge

England made a crucial breakthrough in the early evening session of the third day of the second Test against Pakistan.

The tourists seemed to be digging in for the close with the score on 63-2, as Faisal Iqbal and Inzamam-ul-Haq edged Pakistan's lead into treble figures.

But Andy Caddick forced Iqbal (14) to fend the ball down leg-side and wicketkeeper Alec Stewart took a superb diving catch.

Darren Gough took the first wicket of Pakistan's second innings.

Pakistan opener's Saeed Anwar and Abdur Razzaq got off to a flyer and were giving Gough and especially an out-of-sorts Caddick a rough time.

They had reached 24 off just three overs when Anwar was dismissed trying to push Gough's delivery down to third man.

However Graham Thorpe at third slip made a superb catch and Anwar was sent back to the dressing room with 12 runs to his name.

Matthew Hoggard took the second wicket in his first over.

Razzaq (22) couldn't deal with Hoggard's fairly short delivery and it looped up to Dominic Cork who took an easy catch.

Earlier England slumped to a 46-run first innings deficit in the second Test by losing momentum following the dismissals of centurions Graham Thorpe and Michael Vaughan at Old Trafford.

Resuming the third day 199 adrift on 204 for two, England were progressing positively with Vaughan and Thorpe sharing a record 267-run partnership which took them to within 121 runs of Pakistan's total of 403.

But the loss of both batsmen in successive overs shortly before lunch halted England's progress and they lost five wickets for nine runs off 34 deliveries and were dismissed for a disappointing 357 shortly before tea.